PREVENTING GENERAL MISINFORMATION AND PROTECTING WHISTLEBLOWERS

PREVENTING GENERAL MISINFORMATION AND PROTECTING WHISTLEBLOWERS
In the midst of this growing global health emergency, there are serious concerns about the spread of misinformation and the real threat against health professionals for speaking out about the realities of COVID-19.

In Wuhan, China, the epicentre of the pandemic, a health care provider and whistle-blower, Li Wenliang, tried to raise early warnings about the severity of the pandemic but was silenced by government officials.

In the US, a political back-and-forth over messaging is playing out between Vice President Mike Pence, who is in charge of the government’s response to COVID-19, and top health experts, including career professionals like the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID).

Mixed messaging can result in low levels of trust in governments and the spread of fake news, a development the World Health Organisation labelled as an ‘infodemic’.

It’s crucial that governments act in an open and transparent manner in order to build and maintain trust from citizens.